Augusta - A recently awarded grant will allow Healthy Living for ME and its statewide Area Agency on Aging partners to expand the reach of two popular programs, Bingocize and Building Better Caregivers. The grant to fund the program expansion was awarded to Healthy Living for ME by the University of New England’s AgingME: Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP).
“This award is an exciting opportunity to bring two important workshops to all regions of Maine. It is also a recognition of the work our partners have already been doing to provide falls prevention and caregiver education to communities,” said Maija Dyke, Contract and Business Manager of Healthy Living for ME. “Both Building Better Caregivers and Bingocize address important health and wellness issues for Mainers.”
Building Better Caregivers gives people the opportunity to come together to learn and receive support from others going through similar caregiving experiences. It is an interactive, six-session workshop that helps caregivers of all types (family, formal, informal, etc.) who are assisting loved ones through memory loss or dementia, as well as those providing care to individuals with Acquired Brain Injury or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Participants learn techniques such as how to identify and deal with their care partners’ triggers around behaviors and how to track this information in a Behavior Diary. Other topics covered during the workshop include managing caregiver stress, making decisions and planning for the future, communicating effectively with family, friends, and health professionals, legal issues related to caregiving, hiring help, and more.
Bingocize® promotes healthy aging using a game-centered approach. A 10-week, evidence-based program, Bingocize combines Bingo, exercise, and knowledge to prevent falls and improve quality of life among older adults and those at risk of falling. The interactive program has been shown to benefit participants by improving walking speed, flexibility, strength, and agility, in addition to improving blood pressure. The health education curriculum of Bingocize covers many different topics such as nutrition, physical activity, stress management, reduction of fall risk, and medication health.
Building Better Caregivers and Bingocize may be offered in either an in-person or a virtual format depending on the host organization. For more information about individual workshops as they are scheduled, or to register, visit www.healthylivingforme.org, email info@healthylivingforme.org, or call 1-800-620-6036.
Healthy Living for ME also welcomes referrals from healthcare providers. Our evidence-based programming can help patients manage and prevent conditions before they become more serious or result in emergency situations.